A significant free-speech case in which liberal activists are pressing states to censor viewpoints with which they disagree is only a step away from the U.S. Supreme Court.

That’s after Liberty Counsel filed a brief asking the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to overrule a district court’s ruling against therapy involving “sexual orientation change efforts,” or SOCE. . .

Liberty Counsel sued on behalf of counselors Robert Otto and Julie Hamilton and their minor clients. U.S. District Court Judge Robin Rosenberg, despite acknowledging First Amendment protections, refused to grant a preliminary order blocking the ordinances while the case proceeds. . .

“These ordinances are unconstitutional speech restrictions that violate the First Amendment,” said Mat Staver, founder of Liberty Counsel. “We have a number of similar challenges pending in other federal courts. It is just a matter of time before one of them gets to the Supreme Court and may put an end to these draconian speech restrictions.” . . .

“In National Institute for Family & Life Advocates v. Becerra (NIFLA), involving crisis pregnancy centers, the U.S. Supreme Court made it clear that the government must satisfy the highest constitutional scrutiny when it enacts laws infringing on the speech of licensed professionals. Although Judge Rosenberg acknowledged that the city and county failed to show that their ordinances satisfy this high scrutiny, she still denied the preliminary injunction,” the organization said. (Read more from “Battle Over Censoring Homosexual Therapy Intensifies” HERE)